


My cats like you, so I guess you're alright

by 7years



Category: JBJ (Band), Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Multi, cute and fluffy (the cats), honestly I just wanted to write Tolbi and Rcy in a fic, neighbors to friends (maybe; Yongguk is not sure), nothing really happens, they're just good neighbors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-07 09:22:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14668077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/7years/pseuds/7years
Summary: Yongguk doesn't understand why his cat keeps going to the new neighbor's house, but he definitely doesn't want to find out if it's going to involve talking to the new guy.Prompt #95 of the JBJ Come True Fic Fest





	My cats like you, so I guess you're alright

**Author's Note:**

> Rcy spelled Lucy because my head keeps reading Rcy as R C and Leusi looks strange in writing.  
> Also, she's still a kitten here.

 

_It must be nice to be a cat._

Yongguk scans the row of tins in the cupboard. He feels like it's a salmon kind of morning.

_You get food._

He opens the tin and scoops the content into the blue bowl, then in the yellow bowl he puts the kitten food, the expensive kind that comes in sachets instead of tins.

_You get belly rub._

"Hey Tolbi, are you going out today?" The only answer he gets is a soft purr, his four-legged roommate stretching and twisting himself under his wandering hand.

_You get unconditional love and attention._

"Don't climb the curtains, okay? You hear me Lucy? No monkey business." He lets the kitten gnaw on his fingers for a while longer before putting her back down. He watches the little devil skitters away.

_All for being a furry presence in some person's life._

"Bye guys." The black and white mound on the couch doesn't move. The kitten is playing with the spider plant.

_Yeah. Must be nice._

 

Yongguk steps into the cold air and wishes that he didn't have to go out today. The client insisted on meeting so early in the morning too. He lets out a sharp exhale and shakes his head. None of that now. He reminds himself that he might not have to meet the client face-to-face again after this. Normally after the customary first meeting people are okay with just the online discussions.

Nodding to himself, Yongguk sets out for the short walk to the bus stop only to halt his steps upon the sight of the lorry. Looks like his new neighbor is moving in today. He prays it's not another music student this time.

…

 

"Tolbi! You got out!" Yongguk couldn't believe it. His homebody of a cat is outside. Tolbi rarely goes outside even after the cat flap was installed (he's still amazed at how gracious his landlord was with the request, but then again he had been renting the place since his student days, not to mention he pays more than the other tenants on the account of him being a foreigner and all).

The new neighbor's front door is wide open and he can hear laughter coming from inside so Yongguk rushes pass the door to avoid looking like he's checking them out or anything. Nobody likes a nosy neighbor. He expects Tolbi to follow him in but the cat stays outside, looking at the neighbor's door.

"Tolbi!" Yongguk whisper-shouts to his cat while standing in his doorway.

Naturally, the cat ignores him. Whatever. He goes inside but leaves the door opened a fraction to peek out, just in time to see the cat meowing as someone comes out the door.

"Hey, buddy." The stranger acknowledges the cat. Yongguk quickly but quietly shuts the door close.

Tolbi knows how to come back.

…

 

Yongguk has a thought that maybe - just _maybe_ \- his new neighbor is some catnapper with amazing cat-luring abilities. The guy had only been here for a week but Tolbi had gone out of the house three times already. _Three times in a week!_ Even when he was home! It's very perplexing and just a bit worrying.

Earlier today he saw Tolbi outside again when he came back from grocery shopping. And new guy was out too, sitting cross-legged on the grass like nobody's business, scratching the cat's head.

Yongguk scratches his own head while sitting in front of his laptop. He figures he should be happy that Tolbi wants to go out. He moved from the second floor to the ground floor with the idea of giving his cat (he only had Tolbi then) the opportunity to go outdoors if he wants to. The building having a small compound and perimeter fencing makes it ideal for a semi-active cat but Tolbi had seemed contented with being a sedentary cat.

Until now.

Yongguk scoffs softly under his breath. The cat didn't even look his way when he passed by just now. Granted, he did walk by a bit fast - especially after new guy looked up and smiled at him -  but after all this time together you would've thought he deserves at least that much.

A tiny meow rouses him from his internal rant. Yongguk pets the kitten. "You wouldn't do that to me, would you Lucy?"

…

 

Yongguk wakes up from his midday nap with a jolt. For a dreadful second he has the thought that something is terribly, terribly wrong to cause him to wake up like that, then he hears the doorbell. Of course,  _the doorbell_. 

He makes his way across the living room slowly, still in a slight daze, trying to recall if Sihyun mentioned anything about dropping by this week. But Sihyun always call first to make sure he's at home.

 _And Sihyun doesn't have blond hair._ He pulls away from the peephole and opens the door to a tall blond with a warm smile, holding an odd-looking plant in a pot.

"Hi! I'm Hyunbin. I just moved in next door last week." Yongguk returns the smile with his own awkward one. "Hi… I'm Yongguk." He swears  ~~the new guy~~ Hyunbin wasn't blond two days ago. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner," Hyunbin does look sorry, "but I didn't want to disturb you. You always look so busy whenever I saw you outside."

"Uhh…"

"This is for you." Hyunbin holds out the potted plant. Yongguk is not sure whether his post-nap haze is clouding his thoughts but he doesn’t think Korean culture dictates that people moving in need to bring gifts to their new neighbors. If anything, isn't it the other way round?

He must have been staring at the plant for too long because Hyunbin clears his throat and shifts his feet uncomfortably, although the smile remains. Yongguk quickly takes the plant with a hasty thanks, hesitating for just a second before inviting the other in.

Yongguk didn't have time to feel embarrassed over the state of his living room - although at the back of his mind he pats himself for vacuuming the couch and carpet the day before - when his visitor exclaims excitedly, "Buddy!"

And suddenly Hyunbin is sitting on the floor next to the coffee table, cooing at Tolbi, who, of course, pretends not to care about the attention. "His name is Tolbi." Yongguk pushes back the thought that he just gave an advantage to a potential catnapper.

"Tolbi~" Hyunbin puts his face closer to the cat, eyes bright.

"Tolbi doesn't really like strangers." Well, that was true until a week ago.

Hyunbin looks up at Yongguk with his wide smile. "But he likes to come to my house. Maybe he likes me. Do you like me, Tolbi?" And Tolbi rolls on his back, exposing his belly. The ultimate indicator of trust. That traitor.

"Or maybe he just likes the cat treats I give him when he comes."

That fat traitor.

"Do you have a place to put that?"

"Oh?" Yongguk realizes he's still holding the plant. "Yeah, I'll just… Put it here." He places it next to his spider plant.

"It's burro's tail succulent. It's really easy to take care of. Cats won't eat it but even if they try to bite it, it's not poisonous." Yongguk nods slowly at that, still somewhat perplexed that Hyunbin brought him a gift. Maybe it's some sort of a peace offering.

"Would you like something to drink?"

After that Yongguk tries his best to be friendly as they go through the usual getting-to-know-your-neighbor conversations. Yongguk learns that Hyunbin studies interior designing at a college nearby, and in turn he tells him about his freelance work. Tolbi had gone off to Yongguk's room, probably to sleep on the bed.

Hyunbin is talking about how he found the apartment through a friend who's also renting there. "Maybe you know him? His name is Ken- _kitty!_ "

Yongguk almost said he doesn't know any Kenkiti but the look on Hyunbin's face makes him turn and who would be there but Lucy, strolling leisurely across the room in all her tiny glory. Hyunbin makes a noise that's very close to a squeal and - with much effort to restrain himself - slowly extends his arm towards the kitten. Lucy seems to only notice the stranger then, promptly running towards Yongguk's chair and hiding underneath it.

"That's Lucy. She's a bit shy."

"Ahh... You're so lucky to have cats living with you. They're so cute!" Hyunbin positively _beams_.

"…I guess."

"How did you find them?"

And before he knows it, Yongguk is telling his new neighbor about how he got the two cats, his family's reaction to him adopting cats, and how he moved to the ground floor for Tolbi. Hyunbin's responses and prompts keep him going and somewhere along the way Tolbi comes back into the living room to climb on Hyunbin's lap, much to the latter's delight.

When asked about whether he has any cats, Hyunbin explains how he never had a pet before and that he's afraid that he might not be ready to take care of one. "I don't want my cat to feel lonely or uncared for," he says with a sad face (or, as sad as you can be while tickling a cat under its chin). Yongguk nods in understanding.

When they part ways that evening (prompted by Yongguk's growling stomach since he didn't eat lunch) Hyunbin asks if Yongguk minds that he give Tolbi kitty treats when he comes by. "I'm sorry I gave it without asking you first, and if you don't want me to, I won't do it again."

Yongguk looks at his newly acquainted neighbor and sees the bubbling enthusiasm and childlike sincerity in the tall frame. It comes as a surprise to himself when he says, "I don't mind."

…

 

Life continues on as per usual, except now his bus ride to the fish market on Monday mornings and to the farmer's market on Thursday mornings comes with Hyunbin's company since the college student takes the same bus to campus. Yongguk prides himself in keeping a strict weekly routine ever since he started working freelance, and his shopping excursions just happen to coincide with Hyunbin's class schedule. And as Hyunbin kept true to his words of "don't be a stranger", Yongguk has no choice but to accept his company.

Not that he's complaining. Hyunbin's random ramblings - sometimes delivered in a half-asleep manner - break the monotony of the bus ride. And sometimes when both of them don't feel like talking, just sitting there in comfortable silence is nice too.

Tolbi continues to go to Hyunbin's house at odd hours. He even managed to come up with his own way of 'knocking' (which involves trying to knock over one of the small potted plants outside his door) that Hyunbin quickly picked up on. And if the tall guy isn't home, he would wait in front of the door, making himself comfortable on the welcome mat and ignoring Yongguk when he called.

This time, Yongguk can't say he minds.

…

 

This is terrible. It's Day Three of confining himself to the house, but his fever is barely subsiding. His whole body aches, his head feels heavy, his throat feels scratchy. He just wants to lie down and sleep the day away but the doorbell is ringing for the second time now, and Yongguk's hope for whoever it is on the door to give up is dashed as he gets up to answer the door.

"Hi." Hyunbin is standing in front of the door, holding a small, lidded pot. Yongguk vaguely recalls the first time - or rather, the only time - Hyunbin came to his house and he can't help but wonder if this is going to be a pattern.

"Hi," Yongguk croaks. Damn sore throat.

"Are you sick?"

Yongguk nods.

"Oh, good. I mean! Not good!" Hyunbin looks panicked. "Obviously I'd rather you be healthy than sick! But I wanted to give you this. You can eat it if you're not sick anyway, but I thought that you might be sick because you looked unwell last Friday and I didn't see you this morning, so I figured-"

"Come in, please." Yongguk interrupts his rambles. He can't focus on what the other guy is saying and he rather not stand in the doorway while Hyunbin goes on about… something. He closes the door behind Hyunbin.

"Anyway, this is for you." Hyunbin holds out the pot to Yongguk.

"What's that?"

"It's rice porridge."

"…Why are you giving me porridge?" Yongguk wishes the room would stop spinning. He can't think properly in this state.

"Because you're not well? And my mum makes this for me whenever I'm sick. This is not as good as my mum's, of course."

"Okay…" Yongguk stares at the pot in Hyunbin's hands. He feels like he's missing something here. "How did you know I'm sick?"

 ...

The porridge tastes pretty good even with his throat condition, and he tells Hyunbin as such when he texts his thanks.

 

_i'm glad you think so!_

_let me know if you need help with anything okay?_

_get well soon!_

 

Yongguk is not sure whether it's the porridge but he actually does feel better the next day. His throat is still sore but he feels okay enough to look as his previously abandoned work, reviewing the web design on his laptop as he eats the remaining porridge that he warmed up earlier.

When the doorbell rings while he's washing the dishes, he feels like he doesn't need to guess who's outside the door.

"I'm not a creeper, I swear." His tall neighbor is here again. This time carrying a bag of groceries and a bunch of envelopes.

"These mails addressed to you came to my house so I just want to drop them off to you." "Thanks." Yongguk takes the envelopes from him.

"Hey Tolbi!" Hyunbin squats down to pet Tolbi who came to the door. "I haven't seen you in a while. You've been keeping Yongguk company while he's recovering haven't you? What a good friend!" The cat purrs under Hyunbin's hand.

Now that he can think more clearly, Yongguk realizes that Tolbi _didn't_ go out of the house the past few days.

There's some value to their friendship after all, huh?

"How are you feeling, by the way?" Hyunbin straightens up, cradling Tolbi in his arms, the bag he was carrying abandoned on the floor. Yongguk takes the bag in and beckons Hyunbin to come inside.

"I feel much better today. Thank you." He hopes it shows in his smile that he means it. He _does_ feel much better, and he _does_ feel thankful towards Hyunbin. "Can you wait for a while? I'll give you back your pot."

When he brings the pot to the living room it feels very light in his hands. Too light.

He stops in his track, contemplating the fleeting idea that had come to him yesterday night and is now back on the forefront of his mind with Hyunbin's presence. His neighbor (or friend? can he call him that?) sits cross-legged on the floor, playing with Tolbi with the feathered cat toy. Yongguk can see Lucy moving cautiously from under the table towards the duo, and Hyunbin gasps silently when he notices her too. Lucy doesn't join Tolbi but instead settles with sitting quietly besides Hyunbin, leaning against his leg. She looks up at Hyunbin and Yongguk can tell that the blond giant is squealing from the inside from the way his face scrunches up, with his eyes turning to long slits and his smile pushing his cheekbones out. He looks at Yongguk as if asking if he is seeing this too, and Yongguk can't help but smile back.

"Do you want to have dinner?" Yongguk freezes upon the question. Did he just say that out loud? From the surprised look on Hyunbin's face, he definitely did. Shit. That was a bit random. "Or lunch." Yes, lunch is safer. "I mean, if you want to, you can come over and I'll cook for you." Okay that sounded so weird. How do people talk to their neighbors?

"Sure!" Oh. Maybe not so weird then. "Let me know when you'll be up for it, I'm okay with whenever!"

Hyunbin leaves with a promise of bringing ice-cream after a few (read: twenty) more minutes of playing with the cats and telling Yongguk about a ginger cat he met at campus who almost stole his lunch (by the end of which he is sprawled out on the floor with Lucy on his chest and Yongguk has to shake off the feeling of wanting to get a third cat).

When Yongguk puts away the cat toy he notices the forgotten bag of groceries by the door and chuckles to himself.

Hyunbin will be back.

 

...

..

.

 

_It must be nice to be a cat._

Yongguk scans the row of tins in the cupboard. He feels like it's a tuna kind of morning.

_You get food._

He opens the tin and scoops the content into the blue and yellow bowls.

_You get belly rub._

"Hey Lucy, did your brother go out already?" The only answer he gets is a soft purr, his four-legged roommate trying to catch his wandering hand without getting up.

_You get unconditional love and attention._

"Don't knock the pot down, okay? You hear me Lucy?" As if on cue, the not-so-little devil gets up and runs to the succulent pot then starts to push around a fallen piece of the plant on the floor.

_All for being a furry presence in some person's life._

"Bye Lucy." Outside, he sees Tolbi sitting quietly on his neighbor's welcome mat. The door opens, revealing a tall guy with a backpack. "Hey Tolbi!" Tolbi accepts the petting with his eyes closed, purring loudly to show his contentment.

_Yeah. Must be nice._

Hyunbin straightens up and flashes Yongguk that familiar smile.

"Ready to go?"

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> (I know, it could use more Tolbi and Rcy, right?)
> 
> Comments are appreciated!
> 
>  
> 
> Also, I'm not sure what happened to the fic fest but if the mods don't want this fic to be associated with it, I'll remove the mention.


End file.
